The estate of late country music icon, Dolly Parton, has filed a lawsuit against her nephew and former head of security, Bryan Seaver, alleging that he made violent threats and sought money from the singer’s estate following her death.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by She’s Alive LLC, a company created by Parton to oversee her financial and business interests after her death. The company is managed by Parton’s longtime manager, Danny Nozell.
According to the court filing, tensions with Seaver escalated after Parton’s death, with the estate alleging that he sent threatening messages to members of her legal and management teams.
In one alleged message to a lawyer representing Parton’s interests, Seaver reportedly wrote, “I’m a killer.” The lawsuit also claims he sent Nozell a message threatening to target people he believed had betrayed his family.
In another communication cited in the filing, Seaver allegedly described himself as an international arms dealer and mercenary and warned that people should be concerned about what he might do.
The estate alleges that Seaver was removed from his security position on September 16 because of his conduct. Despite his dismissal, Parton’s representatives say they remain concerned about the safety of employees and others associated with the estate.
She’s Alive LLC has therefore asked the court to impose a restraining order barring Seaver from coming within 1,000 feet of members of Parton’s team.
The lawsuit describes the alleged conduct as more serious than an ordinary workplace disagreement, arguing that the messages created fear among members of the staff. The filing claims some employees have been reluctant to return to work or have left their positions because of concerns about their safety.
The allegations have not been established in court, and Seaver has not been reported to have publicly responded to the lawsuit. A request for comment had not received an immediate response.
The case now places the alleged threats and the estate’s request for protective measures before the court.
